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A6 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday, May 29, 2002 EDITORIALS AND LETTERS THE IH M IIM M R 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 337-5610 Circulation: 845-9742 IAN OLIVER Publisher NEIL OLIVER Associate Publisher TERI CASAS Office Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief STEVE CROZIER Circulation Director MARK DILLS Production Manager ROD JERRED Managing Editor KELLY MONTAGUE Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Mrtobnd Prrona P u **m g & [featuring LM ndufes AtuVtKm j Mxmsei Ukstr nen*iG xner VTvr [ntwproe News. Same A&nrce Barry's Boy The rtw*. Borton Em*rxn» Brampton Guardon Bulnglon Post Bulngton Suptmg News, C>y P n t C d h v ^ x il't o a jj Connecwv East W i I f tiv . trtn Adnocatafour*y t o n s FtobcoM Guarckan Piambofough Post Georgetown *dapenden(/Acton Free Pros. Hamslon Rewv* Krona Buamets Tnw. Kingston TNj Week Undsay The Week Mnrtfnm Economet 4 Sun, MdtanOPenetanguohre Mnor. W o n Canadan Champon. Mton Shopcrg News. Gude. NewmarteCAuora Era Banner. Nortuitertand New*. to rn M nv. Ootote Omm. 0 * * e Shocpng News. OM-- i n Hodwy New*, d m ToO ey. 0 * a * * W « * Q « r g to n Port Pwry The Own S o n ] Trtune. Panwnaan (Keener Pcaatoroup The <VwK Pcicn Ccuty Gude. f*f»ncnJ ^Hhorrre'.auQfwr LDenl. ScatOTMjh MHor. SkxffWtoUtondpt Trtue. Forewr 'toung. Oy of vtrt Gierdan THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FO R: Recognized for Excellence by t-- | Ontario Community Newspapers Association A t » Canadian Community Newspapers Association Y M tA s&sw ll JXkm 0 7 ^ © J^Kurd (DakinHt The OaM fc Mfcon and Deatt SSS7 | o a kvllle g a lle rie s ! HOC SK Suburban Newspapers of America Policy deserves support Oakville mom Susanna Nankivell may have her heart in the right place but we believe she is wrong in her belief that police checks are not necessary for parents who volunteer at local schools. Nankivell gave a lengthy speech recently to the Halton District School Board decrying the implementation of mandatory police checks for all volun teers. She told the board that such scrutiny is ineffective, unnecessary and may result in fewer people wanting to volunteer their time at schools. "No child has ever proven harmed in the school environment by a parent vol unteer in this community. This is not a problem, so why are we fixing it?" she demanded to know. Like Nankivell. we are very thankful no harm has come to a student and we want to keep it that way. If you have dealings with youngsters, whether as a parent volunteer, coach or mentor, you should be prepared to have your back ground thoroughly checked. And you know what? You shouldn't mind. Can you imagine the public outcry if a parent volunteer with a criminal record inappropriately touched a stu dent? Parents would demand to know why such a person was allowed any where near children. The school board would face a storm o f criticism and a policy would be quickly put in place to ensure that it didn't happen again. W ho can blame the board for being proactive. Actually the development of the broad screening policy, which includes a provision for police checks, is a joint project with the Halton District Catholic School Board. The volunteer management program -- as it has been dubbed -- makes no differentiation between volunteers who are parents with children in school and those with out kids at the board. The background check does come with a price tag. It costs $15 and the Halton board says it can not afford to pay about $150,000 for the approximately 10.000 volunteers with the board. We doubt the $15 fee will prevent most parents from volunteering at their child's school. Indeed, we figure it's a small price to pay for the sake o f the kids. Nankivell, however, is convinced the policy lulls people into a false sense of security suggesting that background checks will not prevent someone from harming a child if they so wished. Unfortunately, educators do not have the luxury of a crystal ball. So that's why they need to do what they can to protect our kids. If they feel a police check is necessary for all volunteers, then we fully support their change in policy. LETTERS TO THE ED ITO R OPA 198 decision should wait for completion of studies The Town has declared the lands north of Dundas, the last remaining agricultural area in Oakville, a study area. This means it is going to be studied. Watershed studies, wildlife studies, geological studies and more. These studies will take a full year as you have to go through a full annual cycle. Normally you would expect that you would complete these studies and then decide what you can and will do with those lands. So it would appear there is no need to talk about OPA 198, which will define the land use for the area, for at least another year. It also appears there is no rush to make any half fast decisions. The recently pub lished Hemson report stated there is more room for expansion in the Halton Region than originally anticipated and that is good news, as we don't want to develop any lands prematurely. However, Town Council has decided to have another debate this Wednesday May 29 at 7:30 at Town Hall and predicts that Thursday May 30 may be needed to finish it. This is a debate amongst the councillors themselves. The public is invited but cannot speak. Now what is there to debate?? The studies have barely been start ed, and without study results you have no real basis for your debate. Unless the Town has decided to make some half-fast decisions about this land and not wait for the studies. And that could only mean the developers are pushing them to rush some half-baked OPA so they can get on with their job of plan ning and the Town is giving in, when there is not a single reason to do so. It appears to me someone is try ing to drive a car at very high speed, while looking in the rear view mirror. That is very dangerous and can cause serious accidents! This debate should be very interesting and we urge you to come!! HANK RODENBURG LETTER III Till: W E E K Salvation Army changes lives for the better My name is Heather and I've just been employed with the Salvation Army Campaign Office. I wanted to reach out to the town of Oakville to raise awareness about services here in our community. I have only been with the Sally Ann for almost four weeks and it's already been a rewarding adventure, meeting new people, seeing all the hard cam paign work unfold and most of all understanding what services "Sally" provides for this community. I guess in a way, people know what we do in general, but I wonder if most really know what services are needed here. Is the community even aware of how much the Sally Ann does for Oakville people? I would like to take this opportunity to explain what we really do in Oakville. Firstly, Oakville is separate from Toronto's Salvation Army office, the money Toronto's national campaign receives does not take care of all our Town's needs. Oakville is currently in need of a new shelter as the one established is now over flowing with teenagers and adults who don't have a home to go to. The current shelter is a "safe place" that some of the homeless can call home, even if it's just for one night. The programs at the shelter offer food, medical access, job training and counseling. I, myself, moved to Ontario last year and when the company I moved here to work with closed, I ended up having to stay at the Lighthouse Shelter for two weeks to get back on my feet. I never imagined that some day I would some stay in a shelter. The staff is extremely friend ly and they do encourage the clients to help themselves. The reason I'm here today living in a nice apartment with a great full time job, living life with a smile, is because someone listened to me and helped me get my priorities straight. Sally Ann isn't just a clothing store on the comer of your street or the church in your community, it's a family of vol unteers, and they help anyone in need. Picture a family next door to you losing their house in a fire, the Sally Ann will provide them with services they need to help them survive that traumatic experience. Or think of your close circle of family and friends, and no doubt there's at least one person who is an alcoholic or drug abuser. If that person wants to change their ways, Sally Ann has the programs and support for people who are addicted and who would like to change their life. Many women who come to Sally Ann programs have suffered abuse in one way or another. We welcome them into a warm, supportive environment where they can find structure, values and a sense o f security. Sally offers par enting classes, day care, job training, maternity programs, and life skills such as budgeting and household manage ment allowing these women return to their community with a renewed sense of purpose and strength. Every day, Salvation Army people visit persons detained in prisons and courts, providing help to those charged and support to the victims. Our shelters provide for people with special needs, and our support programs have been developed to help people with challenges reach their potential. The Salvation Army in Oakville is ordinary people like you and I, who want to battle against hunger, poverty and despair doing practical things that help everyday. Most people are unaware of the support Sally Ann actually pro vides right here. I encourage each of you to check our our services and programs as I've only listed a few. The Salvation Army debts are far from over but with help from the Oakville community, together we can achieve our goals and change lives. HEATHER MISSEN Is a green lawn worth risking our children's health? I have read the ongoing debate over pesti cide use in Oakville and I hope that one day we will ban its use entirely. I was not one of the "clique o f activists" that attended the meetings, but am instead a mother and a pae diatric ER nurse that sees the cumulative effects our modern lifestyles have on our health and the environment. Do you know what its like to have to take blood from a child who has lost their hair to chemotherapy, whose immune system is total ly ravaged and who is looking up at you cry ing and pleading for "not another poke." This is what I see each and every time I go into work and at the end o f my day I ask myself why this should happen to an innocent child. There are enough statistics and studies out there indicating the detrimental effects pesti cides have on our health and the environment. Our children are our future and look to us for guidance and protection. Are we willing to compromise health and the environment for the sake of a green, weed free lawn? No one is trying to put the lawn companies out of business or asking people to have an overgrown lawn. We are, however, asking for a safe, natural alternative. It may cost a bit more, but I think everyone's health and that o f our planet is worth it! L. MUELLER Tremendous response to wine tasting club story On behalf of the new Oakville Winetasting Society, I would like to extend our utmost appreciation for the article and photo you ran in the May 17th issue of The Beaver. While we already had a substantial database from your oakville.com site, the article drew an overwhelming response. We have been inundated with calls from exited Oakville residents wanting to join the Oakville Winetasting Society, and companies such as The Quality Inn and H am pton's Restaurant who want to get involved with us in promotions and as corporate sponsors. We have received many compliments on the article itself from callers, in particular, the way in which the information was presented. We now have a Web site www.oakvillewinetasting.homestead.com and listing in the Oakville Community Database as a result of Liz Campbell's informative and interesting editorial! Thanks to all o f you at The Beaver for your diligence, quick turn-around, and professional ism, we have far exceeded our maximum of 60 members! We were fortunate enough to expand to meet the needs of the residents of Oakville, thanks to the Quality Inn & Hamptons Restaurant. Our first meeting will be held this Friday at 7 p.m. at The Northampton Room in the Quality Inn -- The new home of the Oakville Winetasting Society! Once again, I can't thank you enough for your enormous part in helping the Oakville's Winetasting Society reach the residents of Oakville so effectively! PAM PALMER PRESIDENT AND FOUNDING DIRECTOR OAKVILLE WINETASTING SOCIETY Your Opinion Counts The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and gram mar. In order to be published, letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, O akville Beaver, 467 Speers Road, O akville, O n., L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@ oakvillebeaver.com . The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish any letter. Not the first wine tasting club Re: New Wine Tasting Society by Liz Campbell. OB May 17. I just thought to let you know that Oakville has had a wine club for well over 20 years. Comprised mostly of my former readers, (I was the Wine Columnist for the Beaver for 20 years) we do have a very active group that holds regu lar wine tastings in Oakville. I would like to invite your readers to contact me on my Web site www.winecop.com for more information, should they be interested. ALEX EBERSPAECHER Pud By STEVE NEASE